America Online Inc.
PocketNet service, giving users wireless access to the service as well as to
AOL’s other brands.
AOL said it will have top placement in the Portals channel of the Digital
PocketNet service premium offer.
Separately, AOL signed an agreement with OmniSky Corp., a provider of branded
wireless Internet services for users of handheld mobile devices, that will
deliver ‘AOL Wireless’ content and services on handheld devices via the
OmniSky Wireless Internet service.
AOL said it would make an unspecified minority equity investment in OmniSky.
OmniSky’s service lets subscribers access and navigate the Internet, send and
receive e-mail messages and conduct e-commerce transactions over handheld
mobile devices. Financial arrangements were not disclosed for either deal.
“Our goal is to bring consumers the information and services they want,
wherever they are,” said Dennis Patrick, president of AOL Wireless. “We
remain focused on bringing AOL’s hallmark ease-of-use to wireless
interconnectivity.”
AOL said the AT&T PocketNet service will now deliver access to AOL features
such as e-mail, news, weather and stock quotes, as well as content from some
of AOL’s other brands, including Digital City, MapQuest and MovieFone.
Since the browser is built into the phone, there is no special software to
download.
From the phone’s opening screen, AT&T PocketNet Premium customers just need
to select AOL from the Portals menu and sign in with their passwords to
access the E-Mail, Stocks, Sports, News, Weather, Local and Directions
content areas
Subscribers to qualified AT&T Wireless voice plans can pay a flat-rate of
just $6.99 per month for unlimited access to their AOL e-mail or $14.99 per
month for unlimited access to the entire AOL Mobile suite of wireless
services.
The deal with OmniSky is similar, but it also includes a special
AOL-customized version of the OmniSky Wireless Internet service that will
include easy links to AOL services and content including e-mail and instant
messaging through AOL icons on OmniSky’s homepage and throughout the OmniSky
service.